8907893

Rolling Gesture Detection Using an Electronic Device

PublishedDecember 9, 2014
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

Patent Claims
21 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. A method, comprising: at an electronic device that includes one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs, the one or more processors executing the one or more programs to perform the operations of: detecting a button press of a respective button of a plurality of buttons that are associated with different operations, wherein the plurality of buttons include a first button that corresponds to a first type of operation and a second button that corresponds to a second type of operation; determining, in conjunction with detecting the button press of the respective button, a rolling gesture metric corresponding to performance of a rolling gesture comprising rotation of the electronic device about a longitudinal axis of the electronic device; and after determining the rolling gesture metric: in accordance with a determination that the respective button is the first button, initiating performance, in a respective user interface, of an operation of the first type in accordance with the rolling gesture metric; and in accordance with a determination that the respective button is the second button, initiating performance, in the respective user interface, of an operation of the second type in accordance with the rolling gesture metric, wherein the operation of the second type comprises adjusting a presentation control parameter of the respective user interface without displaying a corresponding control object for the presentation control parameter in the respective user interface, and wherein the presentation control parameter of the respective user interface controls an audio or visual output characteristic for content to be presented via the respective user interface.

Plain English Translation

An electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions. While a button is pressed, the device measures a "rolling gesture" – how much the device is rotated around its long axis. If the pressed button is the "first" button, the device performs a "first" type of operation in the user interface, scaled to the rolling gesture. If it's the "second" button, a "second" type of operation is performed, also scaled to the rolling gesture. The "second" operation involves changing an audio or visual setting (like brightness or volume) without showing a slider or other control on the screen.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first button and the second button are physical buttons.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, where the first button and the second button are *physical* buttons.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The method of claim 1 , where initiating performance of an operation of a respective type that is associated with a respective setting includes: determining a direction of rotation of the electronic device about the longitudinal axis; in accordance with a determination that the rotation is in the clockwise direction, changing the setting in a first direction; and in accordance with a determination that the rotation is in the counterclockwise direction, changing the setting in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where performing the operation includes checking the rotation direction. Clockwise rotation increases the setting, while counter-clockwise rotation decreases it.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first button is selected from the group consisting of: a volume button corresponding to a volume change operation; a channel button corresponding to a channel change operation; a video input button corresponding to a video input change operation; an audio input button corresponding to an audio input change operation; and a gesture button.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the first button is a volume button, a channel button, a video input button, an audio input button, or a custom gesture button.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the respective user interface does not include a user interface object associated with the first type of operation; and the respective user interface does not include a user interface object associated with the second type of operation.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the user interface *doesn't* display any controls specifically for either the first or second type of operation.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rolling gesture metric corresponds to a change in attitude of the electronic device after detecting the button press of the first button.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the "rolling gesture metric" is based on the device's change in angle/orientation after the button press.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rolling gesture metric is selected from the group consisting of: a roll angle; a roll rate; and a roll acceleration.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the "rolling gesture metric" used to calculate the degree of change can be the roll angle, the roll rate, or the roll acceleration.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the corresponding rolling gesture metric comprises: calculating a change in attitude of the electronic device, corresponding to rotation about the longitudinal axis of the electronic device, based on one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more multi-dimensional accelerometers of the electronic device and one or more magnetic field measurements from one or more multi-dimensional magnetometers of the electronic device; and calculating the rolling gesture metric based on the change in attitude of the electronic device.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where determining the rolling gesture involves using accelerometer and magnetometer data to calculate the change in the device's angle due to rotation, and then using that change to calculate the rolling gesture metric.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the corresponding rolling gesture metric comprises: calculating a change in attitude of the electronic device based on one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more multi-dimensional accelerometers of the electronic device and one or more magnetic field measurements from one or more multi-dimensional magnetometers of the electronic device; determining that the electronic device is undergoing a rotation about the longitudinal axis of the electronic device based on the change in attitude of the electronic device; and calculating the rolling gesture metric based on the change in attitude of the electronic device.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where determining the rolling gesture first involves using accelerometer and magnetometer data to calculate the change in the device's angle. It then confirms the device is actually rotating around its long axis, before using that rotation to calculate the rolling gesture metric.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of operation corresponding to the first button is a scrolling operation that is performed on an object in the respective user interface.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the first type of operation triggered by the first button is a scrolling action within an object in the user interface.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of: a web page; a document; and a list.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 10, where an electronic device detects a button press and performs a scrolling operation based on the rotation of the device, and where the object being scrolled is a webpage, a document, or a list.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of operation corresponding to the first button is a rotation operation that is performed on an object in the respective user interface.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 1, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the first type of operation triggered by the first button is a *rotation* action performed on an object in the user interface.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of: a dial; a photograph; and a page of a document.

Plain English Translation

The method of claim 12, where an electronic device detects a button press and performs a rotation of an object based on the rotation of the device, and where the object being rotated is a dial, a photograph, or a page of a document.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. A system for detecting performance of a rolling gesture using an electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs, wherein the one more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions to: detect a button press of a respective button of a plurality of buttons that are associated with different operations, wherein the plurality of buttons include a first button that corresponds to a first type of operation and a second button that corresponds to a second type of operation; determine, in conjunction with detecting the button press of the respective button, a rolling gesture metric corresponding to performance of a rolling gesture comprising rotation of the electronic device about a longitudinal axis of the electronic device; and after determining the rolling gesture metric: in accordance with a determination that the respective button is the first button, initiate performance, in a respective user interface, of an operation of the first type in accordance with the rolling gesture metric; and in accordance with a determination that the respective button is the second button, initiate performance, in the respective user interface, of an operation of the second type in accordance with the rolling gesture metric, wherein the operation of the second type comprises adjusting a presentation control parameter of the respective user interface without displaying a corresponding control object for the presentation control parameter in the respective user interface, and wherein the presentation control parameter of the respective user interface controls an audio or visual output characteristic for content to be presented via the respective user interface.

Plain English Translation

A system detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions. While a button is pressed, the system measures a "rolling gesture" – how much the device is rotated around its long axis. If the pressed button is the "first" button, the system performs a "first" type of operation in the user interface, scaled to the rolling gesture. If it's the "second" button, a "second" type of operation is performed, also scaled to the rolling gesture. The "second" operation involves changing an audio or visual setting (like brightness or volume) without showing a slider or other control on the screen.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first button and the second button are physical buttons.

Plain English Translation

The system of claim 14, where a system detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, where the first button and the second button are *physical* buttons.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. The system of claim 14 , where initiating performance of an operation of a respective type that is associated with a respective setting includes: determining a direction of rotation of the electronic device about the longitudinal axis; in accordance with a determination that the rotation is in the clockwise direction, changing the setting in a first direction; and in accordance with a determination that the rotation is in the counterclockwise direction, changing the setting in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

Plain English Translation

The system of claim 14, where a system detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where performing the operation includes checking the rotation direction. Clockwise rotation increases the setting, while counter-clockwise rotation decreases it.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first button is selected from the group consisting of: a volume button corresponding to a volume change operation; a channel button corresponding to a channel change operation; a video input button corresponding to a video input change operation; an audio input button corresponding to an audio input change operation; and a gesture button.

Plain English Translation

The system of claim 14, where a system detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the first button is a volume button, a channel button, a video input button, an audio input button, or a custom gesture button.

Claim 18

Original Legal Text

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the device to perform: detecting a button press of a respective button of a plurality of buttons that are associated with different operations, wherein the plurality of buttons include a first button that corresponds to a first type of operation and a second button that corresponds to a second type of operation; determining, in conjunction with detecting the button press of the respective button, a rolling gesture metric corresponding to performance of a rolling gesture comprising rotation of the electronic device about a longitudinal axis of the electronic device; and after determining the rolling gesture metric: in accordance with a determination that the respective button is the first button, initiating performance, in a respective user interface, of an operation of the first type in accordance with the rolling gesture metric; and in accordance with a determination that the respective button is the second button, initiating performance, in the respective user interface, of an operation of the second type in accordance with the rolling gesture metric, wherein the operation of the second type comprises adjusting a presentation control parameter of the respective user interface without displaying a corresponding control object for the presentation control parameter in the respective user interface, and wherein the presentation control parameter of the respective user interface controls an audio or visual output characteristic for content to be presented via the respective user interface.

Plain English Translation

An electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions. While a button is pressed, the device measures a "rolling gesture" – how much the device is rotated around its long axis. If the pressed button is the "first" button, the device performs a "first" type of operation in the user interface, scaled to the rolling gesture. If it's the "second" button, a "second" type of operation is performed, also scaled to the rolling gesture. The "second" operation involves changing an audio or visual setting (like brightness or volume) without showing a slider or other control on the screen.

Claim 19

Original Legal Text

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first button and the second button are physical buttons.

Plain English Translation

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the first button and the second button are *physical* buttons.

Claim 20

Original Legal Text

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , where initiating performance of an operation of a respective type that is associated with a respective setting includes: determining a direction of rotation of the electronic device about the longitudinal axis; in accordance with a determination that the rotation is in the clockwise direction, changing the setting in a first direction; and in accordance with a determination that the rotation is in the counterclockwise direction, changing the setting in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

Plain English Translation

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where performing the operation includes checking the rotation direction. Clockwise rotation increases the setting, while counter-clockwise rotation decreases it.

Claim 21

Original Legal Text

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first button is selected from the group consisting of: a volume button corresponding to a volume change operation; a channel button corresponding to a channel change operation; a video input button corresponding to a video input change operation; an audio input button corresponding to an audio input change operation; and a gesture button.

Plain English Translation

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, where an electronic device detects a button press from multiple buttons, each linked to different actions; determines, in conjunction with detecting the button press, a rolling gesture corresponding to rotation of the device; and then performs either a first or second type of operation based on the rolling gesture, and where the first button is a volume button, a channel button, a video input button, an audio input button, or a custom gesture button.

Patent Metadata

Filing Date

Unknown

Publication Date

December 9, 2014

Inventors

Kevin A. Shaw
Ian Chen
Benjamin E. Joseph

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